By: Sudipti Kumar, Collage Group’s Director of Product and Content
New insights delving into the Passion Points of Black Consumers reveal that the Black segment is deeply enthusiastic about cooking and baking.
This is according to cultural intelligence firm, Collage Group which says the majority of Black Americans feel at home and have a sense of comfort when they are in the kitchen.
The Black Passion Points – ideas or areas where Black Americans care deeply, – found that a number of Black consumers feel at home when preparing and serving food to loved ones. As a result, many Black Americans have fond memories of learning how to cook from older relatives. They view preparing a meal as time to spend with family, create new memories, and express love for others through food.
Brands can benefit from these insights by portraying cooking and baking as a full family (plus friends) activity. Emphasize the relational aspect of cooking because it is the real motivator behind Black consumers’ enjoyment in making food.
The Black Passion Points study also found that Black travelers are not dissuaded by discomfort. Black Americans are more likely than any other racial segment to travel with the intent of getting out of their comfort zone, as 46% cited that as a motivation to travel. That said, Black Americans prefer to travel domestically within the U.S., rather than internationally.
Historically, biases and bigotry have followed Black Americans whenever they embarked on an outing or trip. While biases still exist within the travel industry for Black consumers, Black travelers now have a wealth of options and places to explore, and many seize the opportunity.
Brands can leverage this insight to their advantage by looking to boost Black Americans’ excitement for U.S. locations. When crafting travel advertisements, include local interests within the messaging.
In addition to cooking and traveling, the Collage Group study also mentions the impact of sports within the Black community, noting that Black athletes are seen as outspoken leaders in and outside of their sport.
In fact, Black Americans are dedicated sports fans who closely follow their favorite teams, and follow the careers of specific athletes. From Muhammad Ali to Serena Williams, Black athletes have served as genre-crossing American heroes for decades. As a result of that earned trust and influence, Black athletes have often refused to “stick to sports,” choosing to opine on social and political matters that affect the Black community.
Brands can utilize this knowledge by recognizing and understanding the influence and social/political sway of Black athletes. Stay abreast of current events and partner with Black athletes on marketing efforts, as this can support brand resonance among Black consumers.
Black Americans are also uniquely passionate about fashion, according to the Collage Group study. Fashion, for many Black consumers, is a vehicle for Black self-expression; they are not fearful of taking risks or afraid to be bold and daring in terms of their appearance. Black Americans view themselves as trendsetters and take pleasure in conveying their personalities with style.
Moreover, self-expression is an essential element of Black Americans’ lives. This segment, compared to other races, is more likely to see themselves as “unique,” “unabashed,” and “authentic.” For a wide variety of Black Americans, individuality tends to be celebrated across all aspects of life.
Brands can build on this awareness by deemphasizing uniformity when they engage with Black consumers. Engage fashion’s fun and uncommon side.
Finally, a large portion of Black Americans find joy in playing video games. Unwinding and relaxation is a part of game play, but beyond that, 50% of polled Blacks say for them, playing video games is an ideal way to spend time with friends and family.
Additionally, video game play among Black consumers links to the aforementioned fashion Passion Point. Black gamers like to customize their game characters and game setups, outfitting their avatars with distinctive clothing, tattoos, hairstyles, etc. Typically, this is a marginal component to a given video game, but nonetheless is an element that Black gamers profoundly enjoy.
Brands can expand on this facet by resisting an urge to be indifferent toward such games and gamers; video games aren’t “just a game.” For Black game players, there is a social connection, a chance to express individuality, and an opportunity to build various skills. Emphasize these components and understand that these elements are the larger motivators for why Black Americans love these games.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sudipti Kumar is an Associate Director on Collage Group’s Product and Content team. She is a graduate from NYU’s Stern School of Business where she studied finance and marketing, and Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs where she received her Master’s in Public Administration.
ABOUT COLLAGE GROUP
Collage Group is the leading source of cultural intelligence about diverse consumers to more than 250 of America’s iconic brands across 15 industries. For more than 10 years, Collage Group has developed consumer insights across race and ethnicity, generation, sexual identity, gender and parent-child relationships with a focus on high-growth consumer segments. Members of the Collage Group Cultural Intelligence Programs–Multicultural, Generations, LGBTQ+ & Gender and Parents & Kids–have access to 10+ years of consumer insights and 300+ studies with new data unveiled weekly.